"Have you also learned that secret from the river; that there is no
such thing as time?" That the river is everywhere at the same time,
at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at
the current, in the ocean and in the mountains, everywhere and that
the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past nor the
shadow of the future."

Herman Hesse, Siddartha

TIP OF THE MONTH

Mobile Phone RecyclingMobile devices enter the waste stream in huge
numbers, more than any other type of electronic product. Even though,
by weight, they represent a small percentage of discarded material,
they are one of the most recyclable items. Many convenient programs
exist to allow consumers to trade-in or recycle cell phones. Some
programs will even pay for old working phones; some will make a donation
of either money or refurbished phones to various causes; others just
give consumers an easy, environment-friendly method of disposal.
Here are some links to available programs:

Also, retail stores like Radio Shack, Staples, Home Depot, Lowes,
Target, Best Buy have recycling programs for electronic devices.
Check with your local store or town recycling center.

If you know of any other outlets for mobile device recycling,
email us, and
we’ll share them with our readers.

BRWA NEWS

This Calls for a Party!
BRWA awarded DCR Grant

The BRWA received
a $15,500 grant from the DCR’s Partnerships Matching Funds
Program. The award will be used to contract a mechanical
harvester to remove water chestnut plants that have infested the
85-acre Rice City Pond in the Blackstone River Heritage State Park
in Uxbridge.

Last year two Pull the Plants Parties attracted volunteers who
removed over 50 cubic yards of plants. Although this sounds
significant, it only cleared a narrow path that could be used by
boaters in the Greenway Challenge. This summer we will “Party”
again to pull plants from the shallow areas that the harvester
will not be able to get to. Watch for dates in our next
newsletter and join us!

This grant kicks off a project that will take three to five years
to complete and lots more fundraising will be necessary. Please
consider making a donation that will help us restore the esthetic,
habitat and recreational opportunities this pond has to offer.

36th Annual Canoe and Kayak Race a SuccessFifty-four paddlers in 43 boats could not have
asked for a better day for the BRWA’s 36th Annual Canoe and Kayak Race
on May 19. The BRWA event, the second longest running river race in the State,
continued a Blackstone River Valley tradition.

After the 11-mile paddle that started in Grafton and ended in Uxbridge,
spectators and racers convened at the finish line to enjoy friends,
good music, tasty food, and the setting of River Bend Farm.
Race results
can be viewed on the BRWA website.

Congratulations to Steve Cunningham, the new Race Chair, on a successful
event. Thanks to all who volunteered and helped to keep the racers on
course and safe. Want to help organize next year’s event?
Let us know!

More Friends Needed!Did you know that the BRWA has been protecting
our watershed for over forty years? Our success depends on your support
and contributions. In early June we will be mailing a special print
version of our newsletter that will be a compilation of our accomplishments
over the past five or six years to showcase the value of the Blackstone
River Watershed Association. We hope that this publication will inspire
you to make a tax deductible donation and become a member
(or renew your membership). Your contributions will be invested in
programs that support our mission to educate, engage and advocate to
improve water quality in the Blackstone River Watershed.

If you do not receive this special periodical and a letter announcing
our membership campaign in your mailbox, its because we don’t have your
mailing address. Contact us via 508-278-5200 or
info@thebrwa.org and we will
gladly get one to you.

Rally For the Valley on June 1The MA DCR Blackstone River and Canal Heritage
State Park and the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
will host “Rally for the Valley” at the
River Bend Farm Visitor Center in Uxbridge on Friday, June 1st, from 3:30 – 7pm.

Join the BRWA and groups and citizens from around the Watershed to
support the Blackstone Valley National Historic Park initiative
introduced in Congress last October. Add your voice to the call for
the passing of this legislation and the establishment of the National
Historic Park within the Valley. There will be family fun activities,
food, music, area vendors and much, much more.

Family Canoeing in the Blackstone WatershedMA Audubon will host a family-friendly canoeing
experience in the Blackstone River watershed this summer.
Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary will sponsor the outings, open to
families with children ages 8 and up, to explore the Blackstone and
Quinsigamond rivers. The paddles will be led by Sheryl Farnam, Birding
Instructor/Natural History Guide at the sanctuary. Follow the links for
more information.

Grafton Town Meeting OKs Land PurchaseLast month we reported that the town of Grafton
was considering the purchase of a parcel of land adjacent to Flint Pond.
The Conservation Commission, Planning Board,
Board of Assessors and Board of Selectmen recommended that the town exercise
its option to purchase the 15 acre lot under Chapter 61A for $330,000.
After much debate, the Town Meeting approved the purchase.

Ranger Walkabouts AnnouncedThe John H Chafee Blackstone River Valley National
Heritage Corridor has announced the schedule for their 2012 Thursday Night
Walkabouts, a series of free programs offered by National Park Service
Rangers. View the schedule of these explorations into the history,
culture and natural beauty of the Blackstone Valley at the
National Park Service website.

Massachusetts Envirothon Held at River Bend FarmThe Massachusetts Envirothon competition was held
May 17 at the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park in Uxbridge.
Mass Envirothon is a statewide environmental education program for high
school age young people and their advisors. It emphasizes hands-on,
team-oriented problem solving and community involvement that prepares
young people for environmental careers and active citizenship. Teams of
five students from participating schools and organizations are tested on
their knowledge and skills in the management of natural resources and present
their findings from research on the year’s Current Issue. This year’s
Current Issue was “Sustainable Stormwater Management” . The overall
winning team from Newton Community Farm will represent Massachusetts at
the Canon Envirothon to be held Pennsylvania.

Congratulations to the teams from the Blackstone Watershed participating in the Envirothon:
Doherty Memorial High School, Worcester; Leicester High School; Millbury High School; Sutton
High School and Worcester Technical High School.

America’s Most Endangered RiversAmerican Rivers has
released their annual
America’s Most Endangered Rivers Report. Based on a review of
nominations from river groups and concerned citizens across the country,
the report highlights ten rivers whose fate will be decided in the coming year.
The report provides guidance for citizens and decision-makers to take action
on behalf of the listed rivers.

Repair - The 4th RA recent
article
in Grist online magazine reported on “repair cafes” in the Netherlands
where groups of volunteers meet to fix clothes, appliances electronics
and other items. People bring in items in need of repair and the group pools
their resources to fix them for free. The article highlights a small but
growing movement away from the throwaway culture and toward a return to the
tradition of repairing serviceable items. Similar groups are starting
to form in urban areas of the U.S. like Brooklyn and San Francisco. In
addition, online support for repairing broken items, including help
forums, manuals and step-by-step instructions, is also increasing.

If you know of any repair collective groups in the area, have recommendations
for repair resources, or just know of anyone in the business of fixing things,
email us, and
we’ll share them with our readers.

EWG Sunscreen GuideEnvironmental Working Group (EWG) has released their
6th annual
Sunscreen Guide. In the guide, EWG reviews and ranks more than 1800
sunscreen products for safety and effectiveness. They report that a
higher percentage of products in the U.S. market provide adequate UVA/UVB
protection with less harmful ingredients but that there is still a long
way to go. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new
sunscreen regulations that EWG believes did not go far enough to protect
American consumers. Consult the guide for help in choosing the best
summertime protection.

National Natural Landmarks are designated by the Secretary of the Interior
following rigorous scientific study. The National Natural Landmarks Program
is managed by the National Park Service and recognizes significant examples
of biological and geological features and supports the cooperative conservation
of these important examples of America’s natural heritage.